Supporting Neurodiversity at Work

The session is at 2 pm GMT / 6:30 pm IST.

Neurodiversity in the workplace is natural and inevitable. Yet, many people hesitate to disclose their neurodivergence for fear of exclusion, stigma and penalisation.

Why might this be? Due to historical conceptions of neurodivergence that have pathologized it as sickness and abnormality, neurodivergent individuals find it challenging to bring their authentic selves to work. Upcoming and inclusive perspectives on neurodivergence aim to dispel these understandings and establish that neurodivergent individuals are ‘normal’. In fact, they bring with them their unique perspectives, capacities and skills to the workplace – which in turn are seen to contribute to organisational bottom lines. Most importantly, isn’t it our responsibility to ensure that our neurodivergent colleagues are not misunderstood and to create a space of belonging and authenticity for them?

We invite you to this masterclass to familiarise yourself with the fundamental concepts of neurodiversity. This will equip you with perspectives and insights to not only understand your neurodivergent colleagues better but also to build empathy and kindness to intentionally include them in everyday work-lives.

Objectives:

• Understanding the concepts of neurodiversity, neurodivergence and neurotypicality.
• Exploring different types of neurodivergence – e.g., Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, Autism.
• Learning about the concepts of ‘Hidden Disabilities’ and ‘Masking’ as well as their implications for our neurodivergent colleagues and employees.
• Minimising stigma around neurodivergence and understanding the benefits of having neurodivergent colleagues and employees.
• Finding ways to best support neurodivergent people through creating accessible systems, developing inclusive behaviours and practicing empathy.

Takeaways: Creating a supportive and inclusive workplace for neurodivergent people is not only good for the business, but it is also the right thing to do. It might appear overwhelming at first, but with intention and effort, these conditions can be better understood, de-stigmatised and included within the workplace to ensure that everyone thrives in their best and unique capacities.

Target Audience: Managers, team-leaders and colleagues looking to understand neurodivergence better and equip themselves with insights and practical advice to foster neurodiversity inclusion at work.